Incentive travel trends: How planners adapt to tighter budgets
September 1, 2026
While incentive trips remain a significant investment for corporations—an average spend of $6,000 per person in North America, according to the 2025 Incentive Travel Index—planners face shrinking budgets, changing market conditions, and ever-increasing expectations. Yet, companies and attendees alike expect planners to deliver a certain standard of excellence, despite these factors. Here’s a look at current trends shaping incentive programs.





